Michigan
Washington State
Second Varsity Eight Sweep Highlights Regular-Season Finale Regatta
4/23/2011 12:00:00 AM | Rowing
April 23, 2011
Site: Columbus, Ohio (Griggs Reservoir on the Scioto River)
Event: OSU Invite
First Varsity Eight: #17 Washington State 6:37.62, #15 Michigan 6:40.80; #11 Ohio State 6:52.30, #15 Michigan 7:01.10
Next U-M Event: Sunday, May 15 -- at Big Ten Championships (Indianapolis, Ind.)
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The No. 15-ranked University of Michigan women's rowing team won five of its eight races with No. 11 Ohio State and split four races with No. 17 Washington State in the final event of the regular season on Saturday (April 23), highlighting the OSU Invite on the Griggs Reservoir. While U-M's first varsity eight dropped two close races, Michigan's second varsity eight swept both of its races to lead the U-M boats. The Wolverine novice boats also won each of its races.
U-M's second varsity eight highlighted the day's races by picking up wins over both Washington State and Ohio State. The Wolverines, who posted the fastest time of the second varsity eight morning session with a time of 6:43.10, picked up their fourth win in the last five races.
The U-M second varsity eight picked up its second win of the day with an upset win over No. 11 Ohio State. The race was close through the first 500 meters, but the Wolverines made a move at the 800-meter mark and extended its early one-seat lead to two seats. U-M continued to push on the Buckeyes midway through the race, a lead that it maintained through the finish line for its second straight victory with a time of 6:50.44 to Ohio State's 7:00.00.
The Wolverines' first varsity eight battled with the Buckeyes throughout the final race of the day, but as the weather conditions changed, Michigan was unable to keep pace with Ohio State's top boat. The Wolverines seemed to be taking some seats back midway through the race but could not walk through the Buckeyes and crossed the finish line with a time of 7:01.10, 8.80 second behind the Buckeyes, who finished with a time of 6:52.30.
The novice boats opened the afternoon session strong, led by a second consecutive victory for the Michigan second novice eight. Michigan again jumped out to a large lead much like the morning race against Michigan State and Ohio State, maintaining its lead throughout and cruising to an open-water victory with a time of 7:12.70. Michigan State finished in second place with a time of 7:24.60, while Ohio State took third with a time of 7:26.40.
The Michigan first novice eight posted another victory for a novice sweep on the day. The first novice eight again opened up a large lead and rowed a technically sound and aggressive race en route to a first-place finish with a time of 6:59.7 to Ohio State's 7:10.80.
U-M's first varsity four rebounded in the afternoon after a close loss to Washington State in the morning and put together a dominating race against the No. 11 Buckeyes. U-M jumped out to early half-seat lead and with a solid race pulled out to a length lead at the midway point of the race. The Wolverines then cruised to an open-water victory over Ohio State with a time of 7:23.30, nearly three seconds ahead of the Buckeyes.
Michigan's second varsity four again raced against its Big Ten opponents in the afternoon race. The Wolverines fell behind early and although they battled back into the race in the final 500 of the race, they crossed the finish line in third place with a time of 7:40.70. Ohio State took first place with a time of 7:32.20 and Michigan State finished in second with a time of 7:38.10.
The Wolverines opened the day against Pac-10 foe and No. 17-ranked Washington State. The Cougars boated a first novice eight and first varsity four as well as a first and second varsity eight. U-M opened the dual with a win over the Cougars in the first novice eight race and crossed the finish line with a time of 7:01.30 nearly seven seconds ahead of the Washington State boat which finished with a time of 7:08.80. U-M also brought a second novice eight, which raced against Michigan State and Ohio State in the morning session. The Wolverines also won that race with a time of 7:13.70. U-M finished with four boat lengths of open water to Michigan State, which placed second with a time of 7:29.20, and Ohio State, which took third with a time of 7:38.90.
Similar to the second novice eight race, the Michigan second varsity four raced against Ohio State and Michigan State in the morning session. The Wolverines fell behind Ohio State and Michigan State early, trailing by several lengths of open water near the 1,000-meter mark of the race. Michigan started coming back into Michigan State with 750 meters remaining in the race but could not overtake the Spartans, finishing in third place with a time of 7:55.20. Ohio State won the race with a time of 7:42.80 and Michigan State took second place with a time of 7:49.10.
In the first varsity four race, the Wolverines and Cougars both had a clean start to the race and were in a battle early, but the Cougars made a move midway through the race and maintained it throughout the remainder of the race, taking first place with a time of 7:42.70 as U-M took second with a time of 7:47.40.
The second varsity eight had the most exciting race of the morning. The Wolverines and Cougars engaged in a battle from the outset with the Wolverines opening up a one-deck lead through the first 400 meters of the race. U-M's lead was not more than a deck until entering the 1,250-meter mark when it made a move to push out to a five-seat lead, a lead it maintained across the finish line. Michigan took first place with a time of 6:43.10, while Washington State posted a time of 6:47.00. The Wolverine time was the fastest second varsity eight time of the morning session and was nearly 19 seconds faster than Ohio State and Michigan State.
The final race of the morning was the first varsity eight race. After a clean start from both crews, the Cougars went up by a slim deck lead early but extended their lead to three seats at the 250-meter mark. The Wolverines kept it close but could not overtake Washington State and took second place with a time of 6:40.80, just four seconds behind the Cougars, who crossed the finish line with a time of 6:37.62.
Michigan will take some time off to prepare for the upcoming Big Ten Championships. The Wolverines will travel to Indianapolis' Eagle Park, the site of the 2011 Big Ten Championships, on Sunday, May 15. This year's Big Ten Championships is the first held at a neutral site and will consist of seven-lane finals only races.
RESULTS
First Varsity Eight Washington State 6:37.62 U-M 6:40.80 Ohio State 6:52.30 U-M 7:01.10 Second Varsity Eight U-M 6:43.10 Washington State 6:47.00 U-M 6:50.44 Ohio State 7:00.00 First Varsity Four Washington State 7:42.70 U-M 7:47.40 U-M 7:23.30 Ohio State 7:26.10 Second Varsity Four Ohio State 7:42.80 Michigan State 7:49.10 U-M 7:55.20 Ohio State 7:32.20 Michigan State 7:38.10 U-M 7:40.70 First Novice Eight U-M 7:01.30 Washington State 7:08.80 U-M 6:59.70 Ohio State 7:10.80 Second Novice Eight U-M 7:13.70 Michigan State 7:29.20 Ohio State 7:38.90 U-M 7:12.70 Michigan State 7:24.60 Ohio State 7:26.40
LINEUPS
First Varsity Eight: Jennifer Entin (coxswain), Natalie Eisermann, Emily Eiffert, Cristina Felix, Bryna Oleshansky, Felice Mueller, Emily Idoni, Paige Heil, Julia Darnton
Second Varsity Eight: Taylor Day (coxswain), Nellie Ruedig, Shannon Stief, Lindsey Healy, Shannon Winchell, Ariel Piotter, Chrissy Holm, Olivia Klipa, Lauren Schneider
First Varsity Four: Colleen Macke (coxswain), Priscilla Livingston, Brittany Poston, Carrie Lofgren, Nikki Dahlberg-Seeth
Second Varsity Four: Kate Grimaldi (coxswain), Jessie Rampton, Emily Sullenberger, Sarah Trovato, Michaela Brown
Novice First Eight: Bree White (coxswain), Tara Foley, Lauren Anderson, Sadie Smith, Taylor Schubert, Jane Petoskey, Lena Pfeiffer, Sarah Ziker, Hayley Yudelman
Novice Second Eight: Karli Mayer (coxswain), Michaela Keady, Alexa Serwinski, Madeline Dibble, Alyssa Owen, Abbey Thomas, Hannah Jackson, Allison Endres, Kathleen Duemling
Contact: Jessica Poole (734) 763-4423
